Reading promotes intellectual growth

Over the summer, I was told to read a book before my first class of the semester. Ironically, the book was about the importance of reading books and continuing to do so for the rest of your life.

As an English major, I have always known that reading is important. Reading is useful. Reading helps with vocabulary. Reading enhances your writing. Reading is fun!

My education major has taught me that reading is something that must be pushed constantly in the classroom — however, reading shouldn’t feel like a chore. It should feel enjoyable.

Reading can be enjoyable for people of all ages. (Flickr)

As college students, we are all constantly forced to read books, texts, poems… the list goes on. Sometimes, we hit the jackpot and we read something we love, or we find that a text we once hated we have now learned to love. Unfortunately, however, we are stuck reading things we don’t want to read all too often.

The book that I read over the summer was about students who were nervous about the 40 books their teacher had asked them to read by the end of the school year. That goal might seem impossible, but creating an option where there was no particular type of book required to be read eased the stress for the students.

All of the teacher’s tips were helpful not only for young students, but for readers of any age. You’re not going to want to read 40 books if they’re about subjects that aren’t interesting to you. This teacher simply wanted her students to enjoy reading.

Reading helps reduce stress as it can “transport you to other realms,” and help ease tension in everyday life, according to Lifehack.

Reading also helps improve memory and analytical skills. When reading a text, your “ability to analyze details also comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot; determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly,” according to Lifehack.

Don’t take your ability to read for granted. Keep reading and read what you enjoy! Don’t listen to those who make negative comments on your choice of a coffee table book. As long as you’re reading, you’re doing yourself a favor.